New Pilot Strategy for Social Media at Glasgow Airport

Glasgow’s airport has become the first in Scotland to launch its own Twitter account.

The new initiative is aimed at connecting better with passengers and keeping them up to date with traveller information.

Social Networking expert NSDesign has been tasked with helping to deliver the project.

Glasgow Airport began ‘tweeting’ in December last year and already has almost 600 'followers'. Initially used as a way of issuing operational updates to passengers during the recent cold snap, the aim now is to broaden its use by increasing the level of interaction with followers and using the site as a promotional tool for new air services, competitions, retail offers and other useful passenger information, including 'real time' flight information.

Managing director of the Hillington-based company, Gary Ennis, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be part of this exciting new venture with Glasgow Airport. As part of a new social networking strategy introduced by the airport the aim is to engage with customers in a much more user friendly way.

“By using Twitter proactively they will be able to do this and interact with customers much more easily. It will allow them to update their customers on what is happening at the airport and will also allow them to proactively gather information which will help enhance customers’ experience.”

Glasgow Airport already has more than 550 Twitter followers and the aim is to increase its following to 3500 by the end of the year.

Derek Provan, Customer Services Director at Glasgow Airport, said: “Twitter offers a new way of engaging quickly with our passengers. We used it extensively during the recent spell of bad weather, and found it was a fast, effective way to communicate with our passengers. By using Twitter, and other similar sites, we aim to engage more openly with our passengers and ultimately deliver a better service.

”We are excited about the opportunities provided by Twitter and other social networking sites and look forward to working with NSDesign to develop our online presence.”

Gary added: “One of the main benefits will be the facility to get quick messages out to people who may be travelling, rather than more traditional methods of communication which can take longer. It also means that, whereas in the past the onus has been on the passenger to go online and check the website or the news, the airport can now get messages to their passengers directly.

“With an estimated 18 million Twitter users by the end of 2010, and a staggering 200 million current active Facebook users, this step into social networking should really make a significant difference to travellers.”